The Daily Chronicles are snippets of the most important news across the world for this and each day as it rolls in – as such, this thread is non-structured with the latest news on top. Kindly feel free to also use it as an open thread.

A little fun!

Tuesday, January 24

Venezuela will send its Foreign Minister to CELAC in Buenos Aires after learning of a plan “to carry out a series of aggressive actions” against President Nicholas Maduro and his delegation.

Everyone is very excited about this CELAC.  It must have been some serious threats against the life of Maduro.

Sunday, January 22

This quote from the 🇷🇺State Duma chairman, Volodin says it all.  If the west escalates, Russia will escalate, and it won’t be proportional.

The supply of offensive weapons to the Kiev regime will lead to a global catastrophe —

✅The supply of offensive weapons to Kiev will force Russia to use more powerful weapons against Ukraine.

🟢If Washington and NATO countries supply arms that will be used to strike peaceful cities and attempt to seize our territories, as they threaten to do, this will lead to retaliation with more powerful weapons.

🟢Members of Congress, members of the Bundestag, the French National Assembly, and other European parliaments must realize their responsibility to humanity.

🟢By their decisions, Washington and Brussels are leading the world into a terrible war—a very different kind of warfare than today, where strikes are carried out exclusively against the military and critical infrastructure used by the Kiev regime.

🟢Given the technological superiority of Russian weapons, foreign politicians making such decisions need to understand that this could end in a global tragedy that would destroy their countries.

🟢✅Arguments that the nuclear powers have not previously used weapons of mass destruction in local conflicts are untenable. This is because these states have not faced a situation in which the security of their citizens and the territorial integrity of their countries were threatened.

Sunday, January 22

Don’t expect UN voting from Beirut:   Lebanon’s UN Voting Rights are revoked due to unpaid annual dues

Beirut must clear its arrears of $1.8mn to regain the rights, UN Sec-Gen Antonio Guterres said, even as the Middle Eastern country continues to fight an economic crisis.

Sunday, January 22

China did it!  They secured the lithium deposits in Bolivia and this will circle out to the other neighboring countries. (Now let’s see how much interference is coming this way).

Chinese Firm Seals Bolivia Lithium Mining Deal

Chinese battery company CATL is part of the consortium that won the bidding of the ultra-light metal used in electric vehicle (EV) batteries – with production expected to soar as fossil fuels are phased out.

Bolivian President Luis Arce declared it the launch of the “historic” industrialisation of the country’s huge and untapped lithium reserves, with more than $1bn to be invested in the project’s first phase, he said.

Partnerships with other foreign firms were also on the anvil – with front-runners from the US, Russia and China reportedly vying for deals. (Reuters)

The price of battery-grade lithium reached close to $85,000 a tonne in 2022.

And we have to watch this one closely.

Rare earth elements, lithium, oil, light sweet crude, copper, gold, the Amazon, and fresh water.

This is what the United States wants to plunder from Latin America and the Caribbean. pic.twitter.com/Q9Rh5XP0jB

— Kawsachun News (@KawsachunNews) January 21, 2023

Some history: ‘We will coup whoever we want’: Elon Musk and the overthrow of democracy in Bolivia

Sunday, January 22

From the Financial Times

Brazil and Argentina to start preparations for a common currency.  Brazil and Argentina will announce this week that they are starting preparatory work on a common currency, the Financial Times reported (https://www.ft.com/content/5347d263-7f24-4966-8da4-79485d1287b4) on Sunday.

The plan, set to be discussed at a summit in Buenos Aires this week, will focus on how a new currency which Brazil suggests calling the “sur” (south) could boost regional trade and reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar, FT reported citing officials.

#Dedollarization #MultipolarWorldOrder

I’ll be watching the CELAC conference next week where Xi is expected to give a video address, just as he did at the last CELAC Leaders’ Summit.  https://www.as-coa.org/articles/argentina-hosts-7th-celac-summit-amid-new-presidential-landscape